ID document and selfie biometrics for content monetization and fighting pandemic aid fraud launch

Onfido has signed up a new customer for its facial recognition and government ID document comparison tool, and Ipsidy has launched a suite of tools to help U.S. state governments cut fraud out of their pandemic relief distribution efforts with a similar biometric technology. Signzy has been awarded for its successes in video selfie-based digital KYC, and Jumio sees a looming market in age verification as European regulators update their rules for online services.

FundOf selects Onfido for identity verification

Content monetization tool FundOf has selected Onfido to provide identity verification with ID document authentication and biometric selfie checks, the company has announced.

Onfido’s technology will be used to ensure applicants are the content creators they claim to be, and prevent money laundering and fraud. A 30-second process carried out at sign-up allows content creators to monetize their work and begin accepting donations from around the world, including tips in bitcoin.

The Hong Kong-based FundOf was founded by Japanese and European entrepreneurs to empower content creators, and allows them to collect their online presence into a single link to monetize it, according to the announcement. The tool is reported to be compatible with all social media platforms in the market. The company says it addresses the issue of how creatives can receive donations at scale without having to provide exclusive content.

FundOf profiles include a landing page with an integrated tipping option, and links to all social media profiles from YouTube to TikTok, and allow content creators to highlight certain links. Tipping is designed to be as easy as “liking,” and does not require the supporter to sign up.

“The content creation industry has exploded during the Covid pandemic, becoming a $40 billion industry, as people have turned to supplementing their income by monetizing their online content,” states Fredrik Rodievis, co-founder of FundOf. “Unfortunately, more fraudsters have also moved online, but thanks to Onfido, we can now ensure that anyone receiving money through the FundOf platform is a genuine author and not a bad actor.”

“As more people get into creating their own content, it’s important that their contributions are rewarded in a transparent and legitimate way,” says Kevin Trilli, chief product officer at Onfido. “We bring trust to digital interactions worldwide and pride ourselves on delivering an experience that’s as rapid as it is robust. We’re excited to partner with FundOf to help deliver a safe environment for the monetary exchange between content creators and their followers.

Onfido’s partnership with peer-to-peer cryptocurrency marketplace LocalBitcoins was expanded in December to help with its KYC requirements.

Ipsidy biometric solutions to stop pandemic assistance fraud

Ipsidy has made a suite of biometric solutions available to help U.S. state agencies comply with provisions in the recently-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, which adds identity verification requirements to the distribution process for pandemic unemployment assistance under the CARES Act 2020.

Citing a recent article that claims fraudulent filings have racked up $36 billion from the social assistance program, Ipsidy proposes its government-issued ID checks and biometric selfies to verify the identity of new and existing claimants.

The company says its solutions are designed to maximize data privacy, security, and identity assurance, based on GDPR, FIDO2, and NIST 800-63-3 Digital Identity Guidelines.

State agencies can launch the solutions in a matter of days through easy API integration into online claims portals, according to the announcement.

Signzy wins national startup award

Signzy has been awarded as the “Emerging Startup” by the Indian Achiever Forum 2020 for the contributions of its face biometric video KYC solution to the country’s fintech ecosystem.

“Winning the Emerging Company award is a clear testimony to Signzy’s impact in enhancing business and commerce in India, as also a recognition of our contribution in enhancing financial inclusion through our cutting-edge technology solutions,” comments Signzy Co-founder Ankit Ratan. “We are proud to play a meaningful role in the development of digital transformation among leading global financial institutions and will continue to support them through Signzy’s innovations.”

Signzy’s solutions have been deployed by more than 90 banks, insurance firms, non-bank financial companies and asset management companies, and are used to onboard thousands of customers a month by several federally-regulated institutions, according to the announcement.

Jumio touts age verification as European rules evolve

With age verification regulations changing during 2021 in Germany and the UK, and possibly set to change in France, Jumio is pitching its biometric age verification service as a way for organizations to remain compliant with what it calls “know your children” rules with ID document and selfie biometric matching.

European age restriction changes will come to Germany in July, when the German Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz (KJM) will require online gambling and gaming operators to chose from a list of approved age verification vendors, which includes Jumio, to prevent access be minors.

In the UK, the Age Appropriate Design Code comes into force on September 2, 2021, web services providers in a wide range of industries will be required to meet a minimum standard for protecting children’s data, and changes the age of consent for online tracking from 13 to 18 years old.

France’s new gambling regulator l’Autorité nationale des Jeux (ANJ) is planning to rethink online gambling regulations in the country as well, according to the Jumio blog post.

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  fraud prevention  |  identity verification  |  Ipsidy  |  Jumio  |  KYC  |  Onfido  |  remote authentication  |  selfie biometrics  |  Signzy